Parvomay

Parvomay (sometimes spelt Parvomai Purvomai or Purvomay in English) is a town and the name of a Municipality in Southern Bulgaria. It is located in Plovdiv Province region close to the towns Sadovo and Chirpan.

• Population: 17 061 (of city not municipality) (13/09/2005)
• Altitude: 134 m
• Postal code: 4270
• Dialing code: 0336
• Latitude: 42° 6' N
• Longitude: 25° 13' E
• Municipal Code: РВ

Maps of Parvomay [1][2]

Municipality Parvomay[3], with its administrative centre in the the town of Parvomay, is situated in the most Eastern area of the Plovdiv Pazadjik plain– part of the Upper Thracian lowlands, with total area of 470 057 decares. The Municipality encompasses 17 settlements with population of 32 131 people. Villages in Parvomay Municipality in the Plovdiv Province are; Bryagovo (606 inhabitants to 01/01/2006), Bukovo, Byala Reka, Dalbok Izvor, Dobri Do, Dragoynovo, Ezerovo, Gradina, Iskra, Karadjalovo. Iskra being the largest in area with a population of 1696 (to 01/01/2006)in the Dragoyna foothills to the south of Parvomay. The Maritsa river runs through the Municipality with the Mechka and Kajalikja rivers running North into the Maritsa. Valuable water resource are the thermal mineral springs in Dragoinovo, Biala Reka and Lenovo.

The municipal centre – Parvomay is situated at 134 meters above sea level, with geographic coordinates 25о13`30`` East longitude and 42о06`00`` North latitude. The topography of the Parvomay Municipality is predominantly a flat plain, exceptions are the fields of the villages Voden and Bukovo and the rolling hills around Iskra, Briagovo, Dragoinovo and Ezerovo which are situated in the foot hills of Dragoyna. The name of the ridge comes from an legend about Dragoy, prince of the Slavonic tribe that inhabited the region and his daughter Dragoyna, who built a white stone castle on the peak but the Byzantines conquered and destroyed her residence. This range is in turn the foothills of the Rhodopi mountains, passing to the South-West into the Novakovski Balkan mountain.

History

In 1st century AD this part of Thrace was added to the Roman empire, and later it remained a part of its Eastern Roman Empire. Through the history of Bulgaria the area has been Thracian, Roman, Byzantium, Slav, Bulgar and Ottoman. Parvomay was for a time part of Eastern Rumelia an autonomous province within the Ottoman Empire after the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. After the revolution of September 6, 1885, the province was annexed by the Principality of Bulgaria.

Transport

The are limited charter flights to the nearby Plovdiv International Airportjust to the east of the Plovdiv Asenovgrad highway (12km SE of Plovdiv). The international European road Е-80 passes through the town and a branch of the as yet incomplete Trakia highway (A1) passes very near on the way to Turkey. The municipal territory crossed by a high-speed railway, run by the Bulgarian State Railways part of the line from Sofia to Istanbul.The upgrading of the Plovdiv-Svilengrad line [4]was the biggest local project financed by EU's ISPA program at a cost of 340 mln euro. The European Investment Bank has lent 150 mln euro to the venture with 153 mln euro coming from ISPA and 37 mln euro from Bulgaria's state budget.

Agriculture

The main crops in the region of Municipality Parvomay are the grain production. With 75 000 decares of wheat, barley 7,500 decares, and sunflower 13,200 decares. Agriculture and especially the vegetable-growing are of the greatest importance for the Parvomay region it is one of the biggest producers of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and aubergine (egg-plant)in the Country. The soils are predominantly black humus. There are also vast areas of cinnamon-forest type. The lowland of the Maritsa river are mainly meadows with cinnamon soils.

Climate and weather

The territory of Municipality Parvomay belongs to the area of transitive Mediterranean climate. The average temperature in January is 1˚С, and about 25˚ С in July.The summer is dry and hot and the winter is comparatively mild. Unlike the near by winter resort of Pamporovo to the south in the Rhodopi the snowfall in this area is thin and does not last. The total precipitation is below the average for the country, about 532 l/м2. The precipitation is highest in December and May and lowest in August and February-March. The relative humidity is particularly low– up to 60 %.The strongest wind comes from the North-West, mainly in May and June, when it blows for weeks with average velocity of about 3 м/s. Short thunderstorms and hailstorms are quite common in summer and you may get some fogs along the Maritsa river but this is quite uncommon.

Culture and Tourism

Parvomay town contains G. Karaslavov museum house and St. Dimiter Church (built in the period 1841-43) displays iconostasis and the mural paintings which are masterpieces of the Debar school. In the churchyard is one of the first secular schools in the country. Both are monitored by UNESCO. Tourism in the Municipality is somewhat underdeveloped but growing and has a large potential for example the thermal mineral springs in Dragoinovo, Biala Reka and Lenovo.The surroundings of Vinitsa village is the unique place in Bulgaria as it is where the rare marsh snowdrop can be found, latin name Leucojum aestivum[5]. Between Iskra[6] and Bryagovo is Briagovo Lake. There as been recent development of water-motor sports and fishing tourism at this lake and others nearby and on Mechka River. Growning from vine-cultivation and wine production in Iskra and Tatarevo villages there has been the development of business tourism related to production and tasting of local wines. There were archaeological finds [7]in 2004,5 & 6 relating to a Thracian cult complex of a collection of tribes known as the Odrysian kingdom[8] in an area to the south of Dragoynovo at the Goliama Dragoyna peak[9]. The peak of Goliama Dragoyna[10] is the highest point in the area at 813,60m. The sub region of Dragoyna is believed to have been a local centre of the Thracian aristocracy within the Odryssian kingdom, possibly linked to Perperikon[11]. A high concentration of Thracian tumulus (burial mounds) have been found in the area. A well known golden ring was found in Ezerovo, near to Dragoyna archaeological site. The ring has an inscription in Thracian with Greek letters. It indicates that the relatives dedicate the ring to the deceased. A settlement, most probably related with the sanctuary, was located close to the village of Dragoynovo.

Famous Children of Parvomay

The sportswoman Tezdzhan Naimova was born in Parvomay in 1987. Dragoynovo (also known as Dragoinovo) was the birthplace of [[Angel Stoyanov Kariotov] in 1812.

Statistics

Total population 32 131

Economically active population 12 561

Unemployed by the end of 2003 1 892

Level of unemployment 15.06 %

The total area of agricultural lands is 420 266 decares, distributed as follows:

private property 301 857 decares

municipal property 98 099 decares

state property 18 132 decares

church property 312 decares

other 1 866 decares

forest territories 93 508 decares

Of crucial importance for Municipality Parvomay are the following enterprises:

"Chugunoleene Invest 97" АD(joint-stock company)

The company activity is mainly production of cast iron and steem moulds for the breaks systems of railway carriages and locomotives, for the mill industry and non-ferrous metallurgy and the electric power industry.International transport, full and partial repair of cars, production of spare parts for cars, lorries, autobuses, tractors, locomotives, and carriages. The enterprise has a big potential for expansion of its production.

POULTRY SLAUGHTER-HOUSE Run by “DENIZ 2001” Ltd with subject of activity – buy-up, processing and trade with poultry meat and products. The slaughter-house is up to the veterinary and sanitary requirements of the EU and has a certificate for export for the EU of water-birds products.

ISKRA LTD Producer of passemanterie products: elastic cords, laces, embroideries, lasses, jacquard textile labels, edgings, etc., entirely oriented to the ready-made, knitwear and shoes industries.

TAILORING COMPANIES There are about 100 tailoring companies on the municipal territory. Part of them produce for Belgium, Greece and Italy. The biggest one is “ALENA R”AD

COMPANIES FOR PRODUCTION OF PLASTIC ITEMS There are several companies producing polyethylene items. One of them is “ECOPLAST 99”LTD, specialized in production or PE folio, gloves , bags, ice-moulds, plastic caps, etc. of HDPE and LDPE.

CANNING INDUSTRY Several companies produce ketchup, tomato and pepper pure, marmalade, sauces and different kinds of cans. The major ones are “Bulcons Parvomay” Ltd., “VITAL”, “Balabanov, Bogdanov and Partners”Ltd.

DAIRIES There are many dairies for milk processing and production of dairy products on the municipal territory – “Bor-Chvor”, “Shipka 99

The traditions in agriculture and the fertile soils are a prerequisite for the activities of many agricultural producers. The mail crops grown are: wheat - 75 000 decares, barley - 7 500 decares, corn - 8 100 decares, sunflower - 13 200 decares, tobacco – Oriental 2 670,5 decares, large-leafs 14 600 decates, Burley 1 506 decares.

The agricultural companies of major importance in the region are: GREENS LTD Famous on the home and the international market with production of early cucumbers. The company has 250 decares of glass hot-houses and uses natural gas for fuel.

ZAGREI AD The company cultivates 1 000 decares of vines.

The investment program of the company includes building of “Winery Zagrei” with capacity of 1000 tons annual production. The technological and architectural projects include building of a purifying and tank premises using for fuel the dried vine clusters and other agricultural waste products.

The major foreign investors n Municipality Parvomay are: SHIPKA 99 – an enterprise for milk processing and production of all kinds of dairy products. Its owner is a private Lebanon company.

TNT DESIGN LTD. – owner and manager of the company is Dirk Van Ginderachter, citizen of Belgium. At the moment he is preparing the start of the company activity which will include production of polyester items – car spoilers for export to the European market.

ZHUVIM - BG LTD – owner is Didie George Jozef Gutals, Belgium. The company activity is sewing on order.

ADF – Bulgaria – owner is the French consortium ADF. The company processes wool.

Gas-Supply Parvomay LTD is the first gas company within the structure of Overgas Holding AD and in Bulgaria. Since its foundation in 1992 the company undertook the challenge to work in a fast developing private company and for the affirmation of a modern and perspective gas philosophy in Bulgaria.

The total lineal part for the whole system - 35151 m

The company supplies nature gas by sectors and consumers as follows:

Industrial sector: 16 consumers: "ADF Bulgaria”; “Deniz 2001” LTD, "К & К Bulgaria" LTD, “Sladak pat”, "Parvomay-BT" AD, "Iskra" LTD, "BBP" LTD, ЕТ "Nuri Hadzhiyusein", "Vital" LTD, ЕТ "Barbaros - М. Ahmed", ЕТ "Ат. Tzarnopilev", “Alex –S 2002” LTD ; ЕТ “RAN – 91”; “Petrol station”, “Ecoplast 99” LTD – 95% о of the total number of enterprises in the industrial sector.

Social sector: 21 - The first consumers were the municipal sites

Household consumers - 112 households. It s planned to supply more than 2000 households with this economic and convenient fuel.

42°06′N 25°13′E